Today you will get 100 reps of your hook and cross punches focusing on 5 different rounds.
Hook Punch Tip 1) Use the Ear Slap
It is far too easy to break the small bones in your hand when throwing a punch so I recommend that you use your palm instead of your fist. Cup your hand like you are holding a Pringles potato chip. Now ideally strike with the palm-heel.
This strike is often called an ear slap because if you happen to hit the ear the air inside the ear canal will have nowhere to go and it has the potential to rupture the ear drum.
Whether that happens or not the strike is still highly effective. The great thing about using the palm-heel is that you can hit anywhere on the head without risk of injury to you and it will still cause damage to your opponent.
You can even hit the hard bony surfaces of the frontal bone in the forehead, occipital bone at the back of the head, and the temporal and parietal bones on the side and top of the head. It will still rattle the brain around inside which might lead to a knockout.
Hook Tip 1) Shift Your Weight
Shift your weight to your opposite leg when throwing your hook punch or ear slap.
So if you are throwing a lead hook shift your weight to your back leg and vice versa.
Your weight shift should be small 60/40 – 40/60.
Hook Tip 2) Get Your Elbow Behind the Strike
If your elbow drops below the horizontal line of the shoulder and hand then you will leak power. If you raise your elbow so that your hand, elbow, and shoulder are all on the same plane then you will link those joints together and deliver a stronger strike.
Hook Tip 3) Find the Stretch Reflex to Create a Whip
Throwing a hook punch or ear slap is a lot like throwing a ball. You want to create a stretch reflex and rotational force. For instance when you throw a ball you step forward and out with the opposite leg as you pull your arm behind you. Then you drop your back knee in and that creates a stretch reflex which whips the ball forward.
You will utilize the same fundamental mechanics as throwing a ball. The specifics will of course look different. Here are the basic steps for a lead hand hook or ear slap.
- As you shift your weight back throw your lead hand out away from your body. (Horizontal plane – remember tip #2)
- Next drop your lead knee in which should engage a stretch reflex through your trunk and out your arm to your hand.
- Now allow your hook to whip through to the target.
Hook Tip 4) Stop the Elbow
Since you want to deliver maximum power to the sweet spot (your opponent’s head) you want to stop the elbow and allow the palm-heel to accelerate at the last moment.
So instead of swinging your arm all the way through just stop the elbow before it crosses your center line. Then the palm will accelerate and whip through causing a very high impact.
Until next time,
Brian
